CaliPoutine

So Kathleen, since you're the food editor, can you give me some reccomendations. Good BBQ, a great bakery, and anything else reasonably priced. Oh, and I'd like to bring my friend back a bag of REAL grits. Where might I find those? Thanks!!

Think Ice cream sandwich. 2 choc. chip cookies that are fairly soft, sandwiched with vanilla ice cream( ?) and rolled in mini choc. chips. I havent had one in ages, but thats how I remember them.

I dug out the recipe that Suzilightening snailmailed me back in July 05. I can't believe i havent made them yet. I'm not sure what book this recipe is from. The side of the paper says " The corner bakery". Makes 10-12 large or 16-18 small 1 1/3 cup sugar 1 cup solid veg shortening at room temp 1 stick butter( 1/2 cup) 2 tsp light corn syrup 4 eggs, room temp. 2 1/4 cup cake flour 2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp salt 2/3 c. milk 2 tsp vanilla 1/4 tsp lemon extract 1/8tsp orange extract vanilla icing 1 1/2lb powdered sugar, sifted 1/3 cup light corn syrup 1/4 cup water 1/2 tsp vanilla Choc. Icing 1 recipe vanilla icing 4 oz semisweet choc. chopped preheat oven to 400f. cover large baking sheet with parchment. If making large cookies, trace four 4 1/2 inch circles on each parchement. For small cookies make 3 1/2 inch circles. cream butter and sugar and shortening. Add cornsyrup and eggs one at a time. scrape bowl. In another bowl combine flours, powder and salt. beat the dry ingredients into butter mixture, alternating with milk. Begin and end with dry ingredients. Add extracts. Use 1/2 cup measure for large cookie, fill in circle. bake 10 min Use 1/3 cup for smaller cookie. bake 8 min. Use double boiler to make vanilla icing. cook to 100f. if too thick, add small amount of water. frost 1/2 cookie. Add chocolate to vanilla icing and frost the rest. IMHO, the baking illust. recipe sounds better because I prefer butter to shortening. Has anyone ever made the above version?

I'm in Exeter, Ontario. Wee little town 30 min N of London. I'm originally from California by way of NY and Florida so any chance I get to escape this small ( non-foodie) town/county, I take!!

I'm looking forward to seeing what I missed a few weeks ago. Friends of my from FL, were in Chappaqua a couple of weeks ago. They didnt realize that I live only about 4-5hrs away by car and that I could have visited them. I've heard wonderful things about Chappaqua. Blog on Queen.

They look great!! I want one. You could always try Martha's recipe for comparison. I guess maybe because I grew up with them, I love them. But, as I said, I havent had a good one the last few times I've been in Florida. I probably wont search them out the next time I go back.

How much was it?

To me, its a nice tender flavorful " cookie" and a not too sweet vanilla and a very chocolaty chocolate. I usually split a cookie with someone and we each get a part of the chocolate and the vanilla. The last one I had was in December when I went back home. I asked them if they were fresh. They said yes, they lied!! I think I'm going to bake some next weekend.

Not sure if this really counts as a yellow or white cake, but I recently made Nigella Lawson's buttermilk cupcakes and I really enjoyed them. Very tender with a subtle flavor.

I agree - no craving here. My wife uses BSCB as a convenient method to shovel extra protein into growing boys. I prefer dark meat, but I did enjoy BSCB last night in Vietnamese ginger chicken (ga kho gung). We braised the BSCBs in chicken stock and then added thinly-sliced ginger, onions, garlic, Thai bird chilies, chicken stock, fish sauce, palm sugar, scallions, and cilantro for flavor. The BSCBs were tender and juicy, but the other ingredients made the meal. ← That looks really good. IMHU, I think dark meat with mess with the flavor's of the surrounding sauce.

Someone from Eg sent me a recipe by snail mail. I think it was suzilightning. I still havent tried it, but its on my to do list. I grew up in Ft. Lauderdale and both my parents are from NY. I grew up with black and whites because almost everyone in S. Fl is from NY. LOL. I love them and they are the first thing I search out when I go back home, although lately I can't find a decent one.

Kind off off topic so I'll throw in something food related. How is the border traffic from Vancouver to Seattle? I'm an American married to a Canadian( I actually left California for Ontario) and I frequently cross the border into Michigan for groceries and the like. The traffic is horrible, but the Nexxus pass is a lifesaver. I'd highly reccomend getting one.

If I remember correctly, his wife doesnt like dark meat( and this is why I love these demo's so much, I hate dark meat too).

*bump* I'll be in Charlotte from Sept 14-19th. One of my friends just moved there from California a few months. I'm looking for some reasonably priced options for lunch's and dinners. My friend has 2 small kids so kid friendly is good too. I'd like to find some good bbq, a great italian place, and some good mexican. Thanks Btw, Phaelon56, are you still moving to Charlotte?

I just had to google "al pastor." ← Me too

I know what it is and I'm still grossed out by it. I would't eat it, I can't stand the smell of it and furthermore I'm against foie gras for ethical reasons. I'm not a food writer though, but I am a personal chef. But, then again, no one I cook for would proabably even know what it is( small town).

I've said this in both my foodblogs and in numerous other areas on EG, but I'll say it again. I really like BSCB, but only if prepared right. I've had some hideous ones in my day. I'm in the minority here because I can't stand dark meat. I've come to realize that I don't enjoy strong flavor's of most things. I also dont like blue cheese, salmon, liver, or dark tuna. I also don't eat red meat so my animal protein sources are limited. I do eat ground turkey( dark) but I tend to usually mix it with ground breast. When I grill my BSCB, I brine them for a quick 20-30 minutes. I also really love them breaded and sauteed and included in chicken parmesean made with san marzano marinara sauce. My Canadian spouse even craves them now. She loves them in a big fat burrito filled with black beans, rice and grilled chicken. However, unlike me, she'd eat the burrito with thigh as well. If only dark meat chicken is an option, I'd chose something vegetarian.

Marlene, Is the Boston butt the same as a pork shoulder? ( I know a shoulder is a shoulder, but is a butt really a butt?) I always get shoulders at Loblaw's or Sobey's. Ok, I went looking for an answer because I'm inpatient From Ochef.com Q. I am currently in culinary school and wonder where the name "Boston Butt" came from. I know the location of the cut of meat, but was wondering about the history of the name specifically. Also, why is the shoulder of the hog sometimes called "Picnic Ham"? A. Well, one of your classmates may have beat you to the punch — seldom do we receive nearly identical questions from the same state on the same day. We took your questions to the experts at the National Pork Board and received the following answer: "In pre-revolutionary New England and into the Revolutionary War, some pork cuts (not those highly valued, or "high on the hog," like loin and ham) were packed into casks or barrels (also known as "butts") for storage and shipment. The way the hog shoulder was cut in the Boston area became known in other regions as "Boston Butt." This name stuck and today, Boston butt is called that almost everywhere in the US,… except in Boston. "Picnic ham" is a little challenging, even for the Pork Board folks. Generally, the shoulder is smoked, they say, which gives it a very ham-like flavor. Since picnic shoulder/ham is an inexpensive substitute for real ham (which only comes from the hind legs), they speculate that it would have been considered a good cut for casual dining — such as a picnic — rather than for use at a formal family dinner, such as Easter or Thanksgiving.

Washing your driveway with a hose of running water in the summer is wasteful. I wouldnt call using more than 2 cubes of ice, wasteful. I'm American and I love ice.( I also don't like hot drinks) I'm proud of that. In the grand scheme of things, its trivial. I also don't think its an "American" thing as much as its an indivdual preference. I have a lot of friends who take their soda's with no ice.

Its not only Europe, Its Canada too. I grew up in Florida and I'm a naturally warm-bloodied person so I require a lot of ice. Growing up we had an automatic icemaker on our side by side fridge. My entire family loves ice. On my first trip to the UK and Ireland in 1994, I remember being shocked that I couldnt get ice anywhere. I was also shocked at having to pay for a packet of ketchup in McDonalds( but thats a whole nother story). I was staying at various hostels and I was actually making my own ice with water filled cups. When I first moved to Ontario almost 4yrs ago, I was stunned at the lack of ice. Most places give you 1 or 2 cubes. I almost always ask for an extra glass of ice when I order a soda. ( Oh and hardly anyone gives free refills either, including fast food restaurants).

And of course because I happen to live in Canada, we don't get that show on foodtv.ca. Im stuck watching reruns of Giada and Rachael.

Not Le Creuset, but close and a great price Mario Batali 6 qrt enameled cast iron pot.

I guess I'm in the minority here, but I really like canned black olives. I think it might come from childhood. My mom always made us cream cheese and olive sandwiches and whenever we had salad, lindsey olives were on top( along with good seasons italian dressing). It's funny, because my mom is an excellent cook( and so am I), But, we like what we like eh? Now, that being said, I don't like green olives at all. ( except in Picadillo).

I keep mine in the fridge. I have SAS instant and its been in the fridge for a year. Its still going strong.

I will have to check the prices. I rarely buy halvah. ← Whoops, my mistake. I meant the prices of all goods in comparison to the US. Is it expensive to live in Isreal? Also, do you normally work on Sunday?